The use of sprinklers for spraying lawns and shrubs is well known. The present invention is directed towards a sprinkler particularly adapted for spraying shrubbery and most particularly is of a type which is completely concealed within the shrubbery when not involved in a sprinkling cycle and which can be varied in height as the height of the shrubbery varies and, further, which pops up above the shrubbery so as to spray in an unobstructed manner.
One problem with providing a concealed sprinkler for shrubbery is that shrubbery grows and as it grows the height of the sprinkler must be varied. With normal sprinkling equipment this is a difficult job in that it requires replacement of the vertical portion of the sprinkler piping system. The present invention solves this problem by providing a tubular extension which can be raised and lowered without disrupting the sprinkler system. However, the invention goes a step further in that it not only provides a sprinkler which can be varied in height but one which is concealed from view when not serving in a sprinkling function and which pops up to extend above the shrubbery in which it is placed when water pressure is applied to the sprinkler during a sprinkling cycle.
A further difficulty with the known type of pop-up sprinklers is that is difficult to maintain orientation of the sprinkler head. The present invention includes means whereby the sprinkler pops up due to the effect of water pressure so as to extend above the shrubbery in which the device is positioned, thereby permitting the entire sprinkler to be concealed when not in use, but also includes an arrangement wherein the pop-up portion returns to a pre-selected angular relationship relative to the lower portions of the sprinkler ensuring that the sprinkler head is properly oriented when water pressure is applied.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable height sprinkler apparatus.
More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a sprinkler apparatus, particularly adaptable for use in sprinkling shrubbery, including means whereby the height of the sprinkler may be easily adjusted as the height of the shrubbery changes.
Still more particularly, an object of this invention is to provide an adjustable height sprinkler including a pop-up feature so that the sprinker may be completely hidden when not in use, and in which the sprinkler head pops up above the shrubbery when water pressure is applied, and including means for maintaining pre-selected orientation of the sprinkler head.
These objects, as well as other and more specific objects of the invention, will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.